Heat exchanger



Oct. 1, 1929 J. P. RA I -IB UN HEAT EXCHANGER Filed Oct. 28 192 Fi li n.w mh T m a R 3 J Fiz.

WITIQESSES Q I I ATTORNEY Patented Get. 1, 1929 warren ears JOHN P.BATHBUN, or ivioonns, PENNSYLVANIA, lasers-Non To wn-sTiNGnonsE ELEC-were & MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA HEATEXCHANGER Application filed October 28, 1927. Serial No. 229,446.

My invention relates to heat exchangers of the open type, such as jetcondensers or jet heaters, and it has for an object, to improve theperformance of apparatus of this character.

In the operation of apparatus of the type is particularly needed.

Heretofore various means, such, for instance, as hand holes on thenozzle chamber adjacent the nozzles, have been provided to facilitatecleaning, but with all of these arrangements so far as I am aware, it isnecessary to shut down the unit during the cleaning period, howeverbrief that may be.

More particularly, therefore, an object of my invention is to provide adevice of the type described with means for temporarily dislodgingdebris from the respective nozzles so that the device may continue tofunction efficiently until such time as it may be convenient to shut itdown for cleaning.

Apparatus embodying the features of my invention is shown in theaccompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of a ct condenser, taken on the line IIof Fig. 2;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the condenser shown in Fig. 1, showing part ofthe nozzle chamber in section; and,

Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation of a jet condenser embodying a modifiedform of my invention.

According to my invention, a heat exchanger of the type described isprovided with fluid pressure means, such, for example,

as auxiliary nozzles, which are directed toward the main nozzles and areconnected to a suitable source of fluid under pressure. By means of thisarrangement, debris may be removed from the main nozzles by passing afluid under a relatively high pressure through the auxiliary nozzles.

Referring now to the drawings. for a better understanding of myinvention, I show a heat exchanger, such as a jet condenser, indicatedgenerally at 10, and comprising a body portion 11 which is provided withan inlet for motive fluid, such as exhaust steam, at 12, and'an outletfor condensate aggregate at 13. Disposed within the body portion 11 isan inverted conical web member 14, and about the walls of the bodyportion 11, and above the conical member 14, area suitablenumberofinjectionnozzles16. Coolin'gmedia, such as cooling water, ispassed through the inlet 17 to the nozzle chamber 18, from whence itpasses through the nozzle 16 and rains down in a sheet over the uppersurface of the inverted cone 14: to the separating chamber 19, fromwhence the condensate aggregate is discharged through the outlet 13. l

The apparatus thus far described is well understood and is, therefore,only briefly referred to. However, in the operation of a device of thistype, it occurs that leaves and various other forms of debris will findtheir way through the inlet 17 to the nozzle chamber 18 and willfrequently obstruct the nozzles 16 so as to greatly retard the passageof circulating media therethrough. Obviously this decreases the capacityof a heat exchanger of this type and often interferes with theperformance of such an exchanger to the extent that the unit must betaken out of service for cleaning at times when it is quite importantthat it be kept in service.

In order to overcome the difficulty of having to shut down such a unitfor cleaning at timeswhen this is not convenient, I provide' a suitablenumber of auxiliary nozzles 21. These nozzles 21 are preferablyrotatably mounted in the nozzle chamber in any suitable manner, as bymeans of bushings, or the like, 22, which are disposed in the outer:walls of the nozzle chamber 18. The nozzles 21 are preferably formed onthe end of a tubular member 23, which passes through the-bushing 22, thenozzle 21 being inclined with respect to the tubular portion 23 so thatupon rotation of the latter, by means of the handle 24 the nozzle 21 maybe directed to a plurality of the nozzles 16. Preferably, the nozzles 21are disposed substantially midway between the nozzles 16, so that onenozzle 21 may serve two of the nozzles 16, although, of course, it willbe understood that this is merely representative of a form of myinvention and that various other arrangements may be provided. Thehandle 24 is also disposed so as to indicate the position of the nozzle21 within the nozzle chamber 18. In this way, it is possible for anoperator to properly adjust the nozzle 21 so as to direct a stream offluid toward either of the nozzles 16.

In the operation of my invention, I pass some fluid, such as water undera relatively high pressure through the nozzles 21, the impact of thishigh pressure fluid, which is directed at the respective nozzles 16, issuthcient to dislodge any debris which may be obstructing the flow or"water through the respective nozzles and, by operating the handle 24, itis thus possible to clean the various injection nozzles 16 and to keepthe condenser operating at a good efliciency until such time as it isconvenient to shut the unit down for cleaning.

The apparatus shown in Fig. 3 is similar in all respects to thatdescribed with reference to Figs. 1 and 2, with the exception that anozzle 26 is provided for each of the nozzles 16, and that the tubularmembers 27 which are connected to the nozzles 26, are passed through alower wall of the nozzle'chamber 18. The arrangement shown in Fig. 3 hasthe advantage that it permits a simultaneous cleaning of all of thenozzles 16 and that no adjustment of the nozzles 26 is required.

Also, by passing the tubular connections 27, for the respective nozzles26, through a lower wall of the nozzle chamber, the overall dimensionsof the exchanger are reduced to a minimum and thus, provision is madefor close clearances which may occur 1n some 1nstallatlons. Obviously,this latter advantage may be gained by passing the connections 27thereof, and I desire, therefore, that only such limitations shall beplaced thereupon as are imposed by the prior art or as are specificallyset forth in the appended claims.

What I claim is 1. The combination with a heat exchanger comprising acondensing chamber, a nozzle chamber, and nozzles therebetween, of othernozzles movably mounted in said nozzle chamber for directing relativelyhigh pressure fluid toward said first-mentioned nozzles, and means fordirecting one or more of said other nozzles at more than one of saidfirstunentioned nozzles.

2. The combination with a heat exchanger comprising a condensingchamber, a nozzle chamber, and nozzles therebetween, of a rotatablymounted nozzle in said nozzle chamher and adapted upon rotation to bedirected at more than one of said first-mentioned nozzles.

3. A device according to claim 2 in which means are provided outside ofsaid nozzle chamber for rotating the rotatable nozzle.

4. A device according to claim 2, and means outside the nozzle chamberfor rotating the rotatable nozzle, said means being adapted to indicatethe position of said rotatable nozzle. 1

5. In a device of the class described c0mprising a condensing and mixingchamber, a supply chamber, and injection nozzles for injecting coolingmedia from thesupply chamber into the mixing and condensing chamber, ofmeans in said supply chamber for directing a stream of fluid underrelatively high pressure toward said injection.

nozzles for cleaning the latter.

6. In a device of the class described comprising a condensing and mixingchamber, a supply chamber, and injection nozzles for injecting coolingmedia from the supply chamber into the mixing and condensing chamber, ofone or more nozzles in said nozzle chamber for directing fluid underrelatively high pressure toward said first-mentioned nozzles forcleaning the latter.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 17th dayof October,

JOHN P. RATHBUN.

